The Common Council on Nov. 11 heard extended testimony on a request from the Tarleton Theatre to close a portion of an alley between the theatre and an adjacent parking lot to make the space contiguous with the theatre’s liquor license and to create a permanent food‑truck park.

Tarleton co‑owner Charles Knight said the alley exit creates a blind spot that staff have previously flagged as a pedestrian safety hazard. He and business partner Mark Noriuchi said closing that stretch would allow the truck yard to be used safely and would help finance ongoing cultural programming at the historic Tarleton Theatre.

Nearby business owners and food‑truck operators raised practical objections: larger delivery and grease‑trap trucks said they could struggle to make the turn if the alley is closed; one restaurateur said his dumpsters and grease‑trap access are located in the alley and warned service providers might refuse service if access changes. Local operators also said they already run food‑truck activity in other nearby lots and feared disruptions.

Staff described alternatives including a shared loading zone on South Broadway, reconfigured ingress/egress easements, or a modified closure that would require removal of up to a dozen parking spaces to preserve truck maneuverability. City departments — public works and traffic engineering — recommended further technical analysis.

Faced with competing safety and business access priorities, the council voted to hold the alley closure request until the next meeting and asked staff to return with traffic, loading‑zone and parking‑impact options.

What’s next: staff will report back on loading‑zone alternatives, turn‑radius and parking tradeoffs, and a public‑safety assessment before council considers final action.